Andres Bonifacio class frigate
Encyclopedia
The Andres Bonifacio class is a ship class of four frigate
s that served with the Philippine Navy
from 1976 to the mid-1990s. These ships were formerly used by the US Navy as Barnegat-class
small seaplane tender
s and by the US Coast Guard as Casco class weather heavy endurance cutters. Under the Philippine Navy
, the four vessels have undergone upgrades and modification, and were categorized as frigates. During their time, they were considered as the largest Philippine Navy
combat ships of her time.
The Barnegat class small seaplane tenders also served in the US Coast Guard as the Casco class cutters. These were actually quite interesting little ships, but they get overlooked. The only class of purpose-built small seaplane tenders in the US Navy, they were designed to operate out of small harbors and atolls and had a shallow draft. The fact that the class was very seaworthy, had good habitability, and long range made them well suited to ocean-station duty. Fast, heavily armed and exceptionally versatile, they served in a wide variety of roles during and after WWII.
Seven units were provided by the US Government to the South Vietnamese Navy between 1970 and 1972. On 29 April 1975, with the South Vietnamese government collapsing and North Vietnamese troops entering Saigon; six of the seven ships set sail and later made a rendezvous at Son Island, the last remaining morsel of free South Vietnam. They remained at anchor until 2 May, when they set sail for Subic Bay, still flying the South Vietnamese flag.
Once they arrived in the Philippines, they presented a slight legal dilemma to the USN as in theory they should have reverted to the new “provisional government” in the former South Vietnam. Eventually it was decided that since the United States did not recognize that government, they were nobody’s property, and were sold to the Philippine navy in 1976 to spare the US government from the expense of having to move them out of Subic Bay for disposal. All were in poor condition, the last pair so much that they were beyond economic restoration. In 1979, the entire aft deck on the remaining four was replaced by a helipad for one Bo-105 helicopter, and a 3’3” tub for a displaced aft 40mm mount was added. Final radar fit was AN/SPS-53, AN/SPS-29, and Mk26.
. The ships were passed to the Philippine Navy with fewer weapons on-board and old surface search radars, and these were addressed later on by the Philippine Navy
through modernization programs, including the addition of a helicopter landing pad in 1979.
The single Mk. 12 5-inch/38-caliber (127 mm) gun was Andres Bonifacios primary weapon. It was mounted in a Mark 30 Mod 0 enclosed base ring and had a range of up to 18200 yards (16,642.1 m) yards. The gun was a dual-purpose type, capable of both antisurface and antiair warfare. She also carried a two twin Mk. 1 Bofors
40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns and two single Bofors
40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns, four twin 20mm Oerlikon
cannons, four M2 Browning .50-caliber
(12.7-mm) general-purpose machine gun
s, and two 81mm mortars.
Radar system installed include the Sperry AN/SPS-53 Surface Search & Navigation Radar replacing the previously installed AN/SPS-29D, while retaining both the AN/SPS-23 Navigation Radar and Mk.26 Mod.1 Fire Control Radar System.
Hatch and Kirk, Inc, added a helicopter
deck aft in 1979. Although the ship had no permanently assigned aircraft and could provide no servicing for visiting helicopters, the helicopter deck could accommodate a visiting MBB Bo 105C helicopter, used by the Philippine Navy for utility, scout, and maritime patrol purposes.
The ship was powered by two Fairbanks-Morse
38D diesel engine
s with a combined power of around 6,200 brake horsepower (4.63 megawatts) driving two propeller
s. The main engines could propel the 1,766-ton
displacement
(standard load) ship at a maximum speed of around 18 knots (35 km/h). The ship had a maximum range of 8000 nautical miles (14,816 km) at an economical speed of 15.6 knots (31 km/h).
The Philippine Navy made plans were made to upgrade the entire ship class with new radar
systems and the BGM-84 Harpoon
long-range anti-ship cruise missile
, but this did not materialize due to the worsening political and economic crisis in the Republic of the Philippines in the mid-1980s.
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s that served with the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
from 1976 to the mid-1990s. These ships were formerly used by the US Navy as Barnegat-class
Barnegat class seaplane tender
|The Barnegat class was a large class of United States Navy small seaplane tenders built during World War II. Thirty were completed as seaplane tenders, four as motor torpedo boat tenders, and one as a catapult training ship.-Design:...
small seaplane tender
Seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a ship that provides facilities for operating seaplanes. These ships were the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War.-History:...
s and by the US Coast Guard as Casco class weather heavy endurance cutters. Under the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
, the four vessels have undergone upgrades and modification, and were categorized as frigates. During their time, they were considered as the largest Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
combat ships of her time.
History
Seven units were provided by the US Government to the South Vietnamese Navy between 1970 and 1972. On 29 April 1975, with the South Vietnamese government collapsing and North Vietnamese troops entering Saigon; six of the seven ships set sail and later made a rendezvous at Son Island, the last remaining morsel of free South Vietnam. They remained at anchor until 2 May, when they set sail for Subic Bay, still flying the South Vietnamese flag.
Once they arrived in the Philippines, they presented a slight legal dilemma to the USN as in theory they should have reverted to the new “provisional government” in the former South Vietnam. Eventually it was decided that since the United States did not recognize that government, they were nobody’s property, and were sold to the Philippine navy in 1976 to spare the US government from the expense of having to move them out of Subic Bay for disposal. All were in poor condition, the last pair so much that they were beyond economic restoration. In 1979, the entire aft deck on the remaining four was replaced by a helipad for one Bo-105 helicopter, and a 3’3” tub for a displaced aft 40mm mount was added. Final radar fit was AN/SPS-53, AN/SPS-29, and Mk26.
Technical Details
There were changes made to the Andres Bonifacio class as compared to their original design during its service with the US Navy, US Coast Guard and the Republic of Vietnam NavyRepublic of Vietnam Navy
The Republic of Vietnam Navy was the naval force of the former Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. The early fleet consisted of boats from France. After 1955 and the transfer of the armed forces to Vietnamese control, the fleet was supplied from the United States...
. The ships were passed to the Philippine Navy with fewer weapons on-board and old surface search radars, and these were addressed later on by the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
through modernization programs, including the addition of a helicopter landing pad in 1979.
The single Mk. 12 5-inch/38-caliber (127 mm) gun was Andres Bonifacios primary weapon. It was mounted in a Mark 30 Mod 0 enclosed base ring and had a range of up to 18200 yards (16,642.1 m) yards. The gun was a dual-purpose type, capable of both antisurface and antiair warfare. She also carried a two twin Mk. 1 Bofors
Bofors
The name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns and two single Bofors
Bofors
The name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns, four twin 20mm Oerlikon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
cannons, four M2 Browning .50-caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
(12.7-mm) general-purpose machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s, and two 81mm mortars.
Radar system installed include the Sperry AN/SPS-53 Surface Search & Navigation Radar replacing the previously installed AN/SPS-29D, while retaining both the AN/SPS-23 Navigation Radar and Mk.26 Mod.1 Fire Control Radar System.
Hatch and Kirk, Inc, added a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
deck aft in 1979. Although the ship had no permanently assigned aircraft and could provide no servicing for visiting helicopters, the helicopter deck could accommodate a visiting MBB Bo 105C helicopter, used by the Philippine Navy for utility, scout, and maritime patrol purposes.
The ship was powered by two Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
38D diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s with a combined power of around 6,200 brake horsepower (4.63 megawatts) driving two propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s. The main engines could propel the 1,766-ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
displacement
Displacement (ship)
A ship's displacement is its weight at any given time, generally expressed in metric tons or long tons. The term is often used to mean the ship's weight when it is loaded to its maximum capacity. A number of synonymous terms exist for this maximum weight, such as loaded displacement, full load...
(standard load) ship at a maximum speed of around 18 knots (35 km/h). The ship had a maximum range of 8000 nautical miles (14,816 km) at an economical speed of 15.6 knots (31 km/h).
The Philippine Navy made plans were made to upgrade the entire ship class with new radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
systems and the BGM-84 Harpoon
Boeing Harpoon
The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas . In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977...
long-range anti-ship cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
, but this did not materialize due to the worsening political and economic crisis in the Republic of the Philippines in the mid-1980s.
Ships in Class
| Bow number | Ship name | Acquired | Commissioned | Service | Decommissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF-7 | BRP Andres Bonifacio BRP Andres Bonifacio (PF-7) BRP Andres Bonifacio was a Philippine Navy frigate in commission from 1976 to 1985. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after the Vietnam War, two of which... |
5 April 1976 | 27 July 1976 | Patrol Force, Philippine Fleet | 1993 | Sold as scrap 2003. |
| PF-8 | BRP Gregorio del Pilar BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-8) The BRP Gregorio del Pilar was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1977 to 1990. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after... |
5 April 1976 | 7 February 1977 | Patrol Force, Philippine Fleet | April 1990 | Sold as scrap 1991 |
| PF-9 | BRP Diego Silang BRP Diego Silang (PF-9) BRP Diego Silang was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1976 to 1990. She and her three sister ships were the largest Philippine Navy ships of their time.... |
5 April 1976 | 5 April 1976 (unconfirmed) | Patrol Force, Philippine Fleet | April 1990 | Discarded July 1990, sold as scrap 1993. |
| PF-10 | BRP Francisco Dagohoy BRP Francisco Dagohoy (PF-10) The BRP Francisco Dagohoy was an Andres Bonifacio class frigate of the Philippine Navy that served from 1979 to 1985. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders and ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States... |
5 April 1976 | 23 June 1979 | Patrol Force, Philippine Fleet | 9 June 1985 | Discarded March 1993, sold as scrap 1993. |